UN Condemns Attacks on Port Sudan and Kassala as Grave Breaches of International Humanitarian Law
Port Sudan – May 6, 2025 – Sudanhorizon
The United Nations has strongly condemned recent drone strikes on Port Sudan and Kassala, describing them as grave violations of international humanitarian law. The attacks, attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), targeted vital civilian infrastructure and populated areas in eastern Sudan.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, expressed “shock and deep concern” over what she called a sustained failure to uphold the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution. In a statement issued late Tuesday, Salami said: “These attacks reflect an ongoing failure to comply with core humanitarian norms that prohibit targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.”
In the early hours of May 6, drone strikes hit Port Sudan International Airport, a fuel storage facility, and a power transformer. “Such actions place millions of lives at risk and endanger the country’s primary humanitarian lifeline,” she said, warning that the attacks could further disrupt aid logistics and deepen an already dire humanitarian crisis.
Salami emphasised the central role of Port Sudan in humanitarian operations. “The airport serves as a key entry point for relief workers and life-saving supplies,” she stated, adding that fuel availability in the city is essential for delivering aid across Sudan.
She warned that damage to critical infrastructure could lead to widespread disruptions in supply chains, inflation of basic goods, and a worsening of what is already the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
According to the UN, these latest strikes follow a series of drone attacks in recent days on civilian infrastructure in both Port Sudan and Kassala—cities that had been considered safe havens for displaced populations. The recent attack on Kassala Airport reportedly forced newly displaced people to flee once again after seeking shelter near the site.
Since January 2025, attacks on essential infrastructure such as power plants, water stations, and oil refineries have caused large-scale blackouts and severely disrupted access to safe drinking water, healthcare, and food supplies.
Salami concluded her statement by reiterating the UN’s call for an immediate end to hostilities: “These attacks are serious violations of international humanitarian law. All parties must take every possible measure to protect civilians and civilian objects. Once again, I urge all actors in this conflict to cease hostilities immediately.”
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